Hot Pass
The Man of Steel
When Raymond Blanc’s Executive Chef Gary Jones needed a flexible solution for his kitchen, he called on Ray Costelloe at Contract Catering Equipment.
Gary Jones, Executive Chef at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saison, needed to make the most of his busy kitchen’s work surface areas. CEDA member and Contract Catering Equipment Managing Director Ray Costelloe came up with an ingenious method of solving Jones’ dilemma using Hatco’s GloRay ceramic heat lamps.
Costelloe, who has 21 years of experience working with steel, built a custom-made motorised heat lamp, which, at the turn of key moves up and down from the ceiling. This clever design means the area below the heat lamps can be used for cold preparation outside of service, with the lamps out of the way. The system rises up through the ceiling on motorised screws operated by a safety key on a nearby wall to prevent accidents – and to keep it out of reach of kitchen pranksters.
During service, the heat lamps can be lowered to create a hot passé area where Jones can finish his dishes and they can await pick-up by the front of house staff.
Costelloe says, “The benefit of this sort of custom design is that it allows maximum use of space. "The GloRay lights are modular, which gave us flexibility to fit to our client’s requirements. They are also Teflon-coated, which means firstly, if you want ambient light without heat they can provide this. And secondly, if they break, they are contained and won’t contaminate the food below."
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Cannizaro House Hotel
Cannizaro is not a name you would normally associate with London but the mansions name comes from an early resident the Sicilian Duke of Cannizaro and his Scottish wife. Over the coming years the house was occupied by various noblemen and businessman.
So Cannizaro House became "London's first Country House Hotel" and opened its doors in June 1987 and today’s guests still enjoy the opulence and elegance of a past era.
Over the last couple of years Contract Catering Equipment has been working closely with the Hotels General Manager Jeff Ward and Head Chef Christian George to upgrade the kitchen. Our first project was to install a Hot Pass as the existing unit was causing problems during service with the top buckling when it was hot. Contract Catering Equipment discussed with Jeff and Christian what it was they wanted to achieve and Jeff’s answer was very simple, "I want a Pass that will stay flat when hot & all sections in the kitchen can easily use during service". Contract Catering Equipment designed a hot pass that had a 2mm 14gage top with a two tier gantry which ensured that the food was kept at optimum temperature. The unit had hot cupboards under with blown air and an Adande unit also built in to give the Chefs refrigeration at the pass. Jeff’s comment after the hot pass was installed "This is the strongest and flattest pass he has ever seen or used & all sections can use".
Christian especially wanted the Adande unit as he has a Pacojet Sorbet machine positioned close to the pass and the Adande is the only refrigeration unit he is aware of that ensures that the sorbet’s are kept a very constant 12° which is the temperature that Pacojet recommend.
"I have known Contract Catering Equipment for a year or so and when I first met Ray Costelloe Managing Director I was keen to reap the benefit of his knowledge. Ray has become part of the team at Cannizaro, in that, he maintains a "Can do/no problem leave it with me" attitude, he recognises that we are striving for the same goal and he does whatever it takes to achieve it! All the team players at Contract Catering Equipment sing from the same hymn sheet and in the rare situation where something didn’t go quite right it was rectified without any question, quickly with a smile and at no cost to Cannizaro apart from a bacon bap and a cuppa! What more can you ask for."
Jeff Ward
General Manager
Cannizaro House Hotel
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Other Projects
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